November 05, 2007, 10:22AM

On Friday, Governor Corzine signed a law that allows New Jersey police to ticket people for using cell phones while driving. Let's call these cops the Device Squad. The law, which goes into effect in March, is an improvement of a 2004 law that allowed police to ticket you for cell phone use only if you were already pulled... Full story »

November 02, 2007, 1:51PM

Let me start off by making a full disclosure: This blog was nominated for a "Best New Blog Award" by the 2007 Web Blog Awards, "the world's largest blog competition." Now, we're gonna talk about it. Truth be told, there are many "blog awards" out there, and why not? What better way to drive more traffic, get better exposure,... Full story »

November 01, 2007, 9:31AM

Now, with Halloween behind us, it's time to focus on the truly annoying things that happened on Trick-or-Treat night: 1) Roving gaggles of teenagers who come out after the princesses and Power Rangers call it a night. Sometimes lazily costumed, sometimes costumed only as a lazy teenagers, they make me want to stand at the door and say, "No... Full story »

October 31, 2007, 9:08AM

I have no real ghost stories. Some good dejà vu moments, for sure, but no collisions with actual apparitions. I once had a late-night out-of-body experience, but maybe I was just sleep-walking to the bathroom. My girlfriend, on the other hand, has had a number of run-ins with the partially-departed, mostly in her very ghostly Pittsburgh hometown. She swears... Full story »

October 30, 2007, 4:34PM

The Star Ledger reports that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey plans to raise tolls at tunnels and bridges, as well as PATH fares, after the election. According to numbers crunched by the Ledger, this will probably mean about $2 more at the tunnel and 50 cents on PATH. That's about the cost of two street... Full story »

October 29, 2007, 9:08AM

Last week, Governor Corzine announced the 2007 inductees into the New Jersey Hall of Fame. They'll join the past....uh, well, actually this is the first-ever New Jersey Hall of Fame, so judges had many Garden state roses to choose from. Looking them over, I'm just happy there wasn't a swimsuit competition. While my NJ Voices colleague Mark Diionno decried those... Full story »

October 26, 2007, 12:20PM

If you've ever waited on hold for health insurance coverage information; been denied a medical referral, treatment, or medication; or been forced to leave a trusted out-of-network doctor for one who still uses mercury thermometers and binges at McDonald's, then you know that our health care system is not exactly built with "health care" top of mind. Most agree... Full story »

October 24, 2007, 9:00AM

I ran out of shampoo this morning. That may not sound like a big deal to you, but it is to me. You see, I bought the industrial-sized Costco "salon-style" shampoo eons ago. When I first placed it on the shower ledge, I thought to myself: Where will I be when this runs out? Will we have a new... Full story »

October 22, 2007, 9:25AM

In 1976, my mother, a devout fan of the horror genre, took her two kids -- ages 8 and 10 -- to see Oliver Reed and Bette Davis in "Burnt Offerings." It was a dubious parenting decision, but in truth we begged her to take us. Based on a 1973 book I never read, "Burnt Offerings" might be best known... Full story »

October 19, 2007, 9:13AM

Recent revelations and consternation about the government's strong desire to eavesdrop on our calls and emails have me wondering if there's a federal agent somewhere listening to such fascinating things as "I'll be home soon", "Is The Office on tonight?", "I thought I was your BFF!!", "Can you believe Joe Torre said no?" and so on, in the hopes... Full story »

October 16, 2007, 9:00AM

Today, October 16, is "National Boss Day," according to my company-reimbursed desk calendar. Wikipedia describes it as "a day for employees to thank their superiors for being kind and fair throughout the year." When you finish laughing, read on... I'm not celebrating National Boss Day with my current direct reports because, well, isn't EVERY day Boss Day? Sure, we... Full story »

October 15, 2007, 2:02PM

Sunday's New York Times ran a story about a 163 year-old New Jersey law still on the books that prohibits an "idiot or insane person" from voting. According to the article, the Garden State is one of only nine states with that kind of thoughtfully worded statute still intact. This November, in perhaps one of the least-controversial propositions in... Full story »

October 11, 2007, 10:31AM

Even in a world of hype and hyperbole, broadcast idiocy, and exaggerated rhetoric, some media-caught moments still boggle the mind. Such is the case when right-wing mouthpiece Ann Coulter showed up on "The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch" last Monday night. She outdid herself, and that's saying a lot. No commentary required. The moment speaks for itself. You can... Full story »

October 11, 2007, 9:00AM

The New England Journal of Medicine reports today that American children are getting, on average, only 46% of recommended care during pediatric visits. This follows a 2003 study finding that adults receive, on average, only 55% percent of recommended care from their doctors. The Journal's official conclusion (which was the only part I could comprehend clearly without help from... Full story »

October 09, 2007, 1:30PM

Newark is considering a law that would ban the city's restaurants from using trans fats among their ingredients. Councilman-at-large Carlos Gonzalez's proposal is modeled after one New York City historically passed back in 2006. It barred the Big Apple's nearly 25,000 restaurants from preparing any meals with the evil hydrogenated oil. Gonzalez's bill would cover roughly 1,500 Newark restaurants, but... Full story »